Camp Goes Ranch!

The theater summer camp came to visit the ranch a few weeks ago. Here are a few highlighted moments from their visit. What I like to call, “Snapshots in time.”

Backstage, as the guests are approaching, Bella and I make our way out.

I leave Bella on stage as I greet the audience. She declares, “Let’s get the show started!”

A brief introduction with Bella at my side.

Bella being absolutely cute as she awaits her cue.

Teaching Bella a dance step.

Winter introduces himself to the audience.

And shows off just how much fun a cow can be!

Ready to capture that shot!

Trying to get him to stick out his tongue.

There’s that tongue! “Mmmm yummy carrots!”

Take a bow my friend.

Hello Lucas! Who’s the world’s best piggy?!?

Well, he is of course! Look at that perfect sit!

And he lies down too!

Pippi and her wonderful ears.

Hard to tell, but she’s showing off her dance moves.

Take a bow girl!

Ah yes! The star, Spartacus. (I think he’s sticking his tongue out at them. How rude!)

His newest behavior… Slam Dunk!

Watch him soar!

Throwing away his trash like a good gentleman should.

Weaving better than those agility dogs I’d say!

El Nino shows off the uniqueness of alpacas.

He lays down with such ease.

Chiva performs.

And clearly entertains.

Take a bow.

After the show, it’s Tallulah’s favorite time. She gets a chance to meet and greet and get fed lots and lots of carrots.

Surprise! It tickles doesn’t it?

A quick stroll between pastures to meet everyone in and not in the show.

Lady Buckley being very friendly and beautiful.

Helen gets out of her mud hole to take advantage of a good back scratch!

*As always, clicking on the photos will enlarge them.*

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Happy Birthday Lucas!

Happy 1st Birthday Lucas!

Here are some pictures of him before he came to Windy Hill Ranch. Notice how thin and malnourished he was. His only bed was a rolled up hose.

Lucas at 4 months old just days after he arrived. These are my first pictures of him after he learned how to sit on cue.

Him performing the “sit” behavior then.

Look at his “sit” now.

His “lay down” then.

His “lay down” now.

His “Hoola Hoop” behavior then.

The “hoola Hoop” behavior now.

There was a time when he could do this!

The best part of my day… taking him on walks.

On a hot day, he loves dipping into that lake!

What a precious pig! Who couldn’t love this guy?!?

*As always, clicking on the pics will make them bigger. Thank you to Lee and Yuki who took some of the pics featured above.*

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Esperanza School Visit

Chiva shows off her new “weave” behavior

Who knew a goat had such great form?

She loves to stand tall!

What a great bow!

The alpacas, El Nino and Chubasco

El Nino introduces himself to the kids.

El Nino shows how both alpacas and camels lay down.

What a handsome guy!

Yeah! It’s Lucas!

Showing off how that rooting bone inside his nose works.

He roots that hoola hoop up and over his body.

He sits and stays like such a perfect gentleman.

Now for the lay down.

He is too precious!

First time performing is Winter! Ain’t he cute? Here he is getting the “circle” cue from me.

Push that ball!

Take a bow.

Pippi plays soccer.

And shows how a donkey dances the side step!

She takes her bow.

The biggest star of the show! SPARTACUS!

Look at those jumps!

To the kids’ delight, he rolls over.

Properly disposing his trash.

Woo Hoo! Slam dunk!

What a star!

** As always, clicking on the pics will make them bigger. Thank you Michelle for the pictures! **

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Meet Lucas!

Meet Lucas

Updated 9/28/07

Age:

1 year

Came to Windy Hill Ranch:

At the age of 4 months old on August 30th 2006. He was rescued, and thru friends of Windy Hill Ranch, he found his way here.

He is a Hampshire Pig

Last Weighed in at:

381 lbs

Nicknames:

Lucas Piggie, Piggers

Why does it look like pieces of his ear are missing?

He has ear notches. Farmers will notch their pig’s ears to tell them apart from other pigs. His left ear tells us which number in his litter he is. The right ear tells us which litter he was from. According to the notches, Lucas is the second baby born into his mother’s 5th litter.
I think the notches make him look like a little Papillon dog, so sometimes I call him, “my little papillon.”

Aren’t pigs just dirty animals that spend all day just making a mess in the mud?

They are not dirty animals. The reason why pigs spend a lot of time in the mud is to keep themselves cool. Pigs can not sweat like humans and they do not pant like a dog. The only way they can cool off during the hot summer days, is by laying in the mud. Sometimes it gets to be more than 100 degrees here at Windy Hill Ranch! So the pigs are very thankful they have mud to relax in. The mud also helps keep the flies away and helps to keep them from getting sun burned.

Pigs are also very smart. Some even say they are smarter than dogs. Lucas is very much like having a dog. He follows me everywhere I go. He has learned to do behaviors like a dog could. But, before you start thinking… aww he’s so cute and I want one, just remember that he’s just a baby right now, imagine him at 600 + lbs! It’s a good thing he’s here at Windy Hill Ranch.

Let’s take a look at all the things Lucas has learned to do so far …

Look … I go thru a hoop!

And I can even jump like the big horses over at El Campeon Farms!

I learned to sit within minutes. It was the first thing I learned to do and I love doing it all the time! (She gives me yummy watermelon. My favorite!)

I can also sit and stay. I sit so pretty while my trainer walks away.

I love to play with the ball

I have also learned to circle in place.

Here I am following a target pole with my nose and going thru my trainer’s legs. I won’t be able to do this when I get big!

This is how pigs give high 5’s!

I can shake your hand hello.

I’ve even learned to lay down!

*I hope you’ve enjoyed meeting Lucas. As always, clicking on the photos will make them bigger. This page will be updated continually as Lucas grows, learns new behaviors and new photos are taken. I encourage you to come back often. This page will be linked to his photo on the side bar. *

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Lucas Goes To Preschool

This week, Lucas visited Little Steps Preschool. I loaded him into the back of the truck and we were a short drive away. First, we introduce ourselves to the kids.

What a good boy sitting so nicely while I talk about him to the kids.

A quick walk through the hoola hoop.

Now it’s time for the kid’s to get up close and personal with Lucas. Can you find him? He’s in there somewhere!

They just love how he’s always “talking”!

They loved petting him and some of them wanted to play with him too.

It was a warm day and Lucas let me know right away that he was getting too hot. The kids loved this part. They screamed in delight as Lucas splashed about and then shook off his water onto everybody.

“Ah, that feels good!”

And now back to playtime!

It was a wonderful 2 day visit. A great experience for Lucas and the kids. He was so well behaved the whole time, even with kids surrounding him, running around and screaming! At the end of the day, Lucas was given a blue ribbon.

Well deserved I think!

I’d like to thank Patti F. for taking these pictures for me. We had a great visit. Thank you for having us! As always, clicking the pictures will make them bigger!

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